Jan. 22, 2025 Newsletter

Featured

An Excerpt From New Book on Dr. King Co-Authored by Dr. Yohuru Williams

Image of new book King: A Life and the co-author Dr. Yohuru Williams
A new book on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the young adult category (ages 12-18) is an adaptation of Jonathan Eig's Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller King: A Life. The adaptation is co-authored by Dr. Yohuru Williams, the Distinguished University Chair, professor of history and founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative.
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Legal Clinic Students Work to Reform Sentencing Laws for Victims of Abuse

School of Law students Kristina Brindley, Elayna Chambers and Daphne Karofsky.
Three University of St. Thomas School of Law students in the Community Justice Project legal clinic are part of a growing push to reform Minnesota's sentencing laws in cases that involve victims of abuse and exploitation.
Kristina Brindley, Elayna Chambers and Daphne Karofsky worked with the nonprofit Violence Free Minnesota ...
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Fulbright Reflection: Rachel Moran on Policing Differences in Chile and US

Rachel Moran poses for a photo in Chile
School of Law Associate Professor Rachel Moran is back at the University of St. Thomas after spending four months as a Fulbright Scholar researching protests and policing in Chile. Moran was selected to travel to South America in fall 2024 as part of the prestigious academic exchange program. Hosted by the Universidad de los Andes ...
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More News

St. Thomas Cheer Places Top 10 in UCA Nationals Debut

Members of the Tommie Cheer team compete at a national competition in Orlando.
The Cheer Team made its first appearance at UCA Nationals over the weekend in Orlando, performing in the All-Girl Division I Cheer Game Day category and finishing ninth in the nation.

Also competing in Orlando, the St. Thomas Dance Team continued its legacy of national success, placing second in the nation in jazz and sixth in hip-hop at the UDA/UCA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship.

Congratulations to both teams!

St. Thomas Statement Regarding the NCAA Reclassification Vote

St. Thomas shield.
The University of St. Thomas issued a statement regarding the NCAA vote to amend the reclassification timeline for transitioning Division I institutions, so long as new standards are met during the process. On Jan. 15, the NCAA Division I Council voted in favor of a reduction in the provisional period of Division III-to-Division I reclassifying schools from five years to four.
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The New York Times Says Professor Bouwman's Novel 'Truly Shines'

Heather Bouwman
The coming-of-age novel Scattergood by Dr. Heather Bouwman, an English professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, received several advance, rave reviews.
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Staff and Faculty: Provide 2030 Strategic Plan Feedback

As part of efforts to shape the upcoming 2030 strategic plan, President Vischer and the Strategic Plan Working Group are asking for staff and faculty feedback. As the university works collaboratively to design its path forward, please share your insights. Faculty and staff are encouraged to check their email inbox for a message from the Strategic Plan Working Group with a survey link.

Submit 6-Word Memoirs Reflecting on Dr. King's Legacy

In partnership with Dr. Aura Wharton-Beck, the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) is collecting six-word memoirs to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy. These memoirs are a reflection of how Dr. King's vision and impact resonate in the writer's life and work today. Submitted memoirs will be showcased during Black History Month.

Do you have a six-word memoir to share? Learn more on OneStThomas or email odei@stthomas.edu.

St. Thomas Bookstore Transitions to Virtual Webstore

The St. Thomas Bookstore has transitioned from a physical store to a virtual course material store. Books and course materials will no longer be available on the shelves in our campus bookstores. Instead, all materials will be purchased online and delivered to students at your address of choice or to campus where they can be picked up. Learn more about how to order textbooks.

Seen Around St. Thomas

Lilee Surdell studying abroad in Sydney Australia_2025
During J-Term, many students study abroad or they take courses on the St. Thomas Bernardi Campus in Rome. This January, Lilee Surdell '25, a marketing management major with a minor in business analytics, is studying abroad in Sydney, Australia, while taking a J-Term class through CIEE in international marketing. She writes: "Living in Australia the past three weeks has been so helpful learning about international markets and how to build relationships across borders. Sydney has so much to offer in and out of the classroom."

Log in to the St. Thomas Study Abroad Instagram page to see the stories of other St. Thomas students who are studying abroad.

In the News

Portraits of John Abraham, David Deeds, Phil Esten and Ali Ling
Media Highlights:

John Abraham, mechanical engineering professor at the School of Engineering, joined WCCO-TV to discuss his annual global ocean warming study and explain how ocean temperatures impact climate change in Minnesota.

David Deeds, entrepreneurship professor at the Opus College of Business, co-authored an article on making better strategic decisions around slow-developing technology in the Harvard Business Review.

Phil Esten, vice president and director of athletics, was quoted in a story from the Minnesota Star Tribune about the NCAA's decision to shorten the transitional period for institutions moving to D-I.

Ali Ling, assistant professor of civil engineering at the School of Engineering, was quoted in The Guardian for a story about the cost of cleaning up toxic PFAS pollution.

Read more St. Thomas "In the News" stories.

In Case You Missed It

Federal, State Support Fuels Expansion at Center for Microgrid Research
Professor Research: Ocean Temperatures Reach New Record High

Know of anything or anyone interesting around the university that would make for a good Newsroom feature story? Let us know at news@stthomas.edu.

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